Hawaii

Today, I am going to take a bit of a break from the international travel stories and talk about my most recent trip to Hawaii, where I revisited one of my favorite islands: the Big Island. While I have been to Hawaii multiple times, I am only going to talk about my most recent trip. I don’t want to make this too long. Hawaii is always a fun place to visit. It’s a great chance to relax, slow down, swim, and, most importantly, spend time with family.

Swimming has always been a favorite part of my trips to Hawaii. This last trip to the island was no different. The sense of calm that washes over me as I float in the sea is unparalleled. The laughs we have as a big wave comes and my sister gets smacked back by it are etched into my mind. Sometimes, I can laugh a little too hard. Before I can stop, I can taste the saltwater from my sister splashing me. Even now, I can hear my mom chasing us for fooling around in the big, powerful ocean or swimming too far out as we go out exploring marine life. The thrill of swimming right next to a turtle or watching a school of fish swimming right by your ear is unmatched and something I will never forget. 

Swimming, tropical weather, and beautiful ocean views are all part and parcel of visiting Hawaii. Yet, what makes the Big Island unique and honestly one of my favorite islands is the diversity of landscapes found within its borders. The Big Island consists of 8 of the 13 different climate zones in the world, and it shows. Simply driving down from Mauna Kea to the coast provides you with a snapshot of all this planet has to offer. Between the volcanic tunnels that stretch out all over Mauna Kea, the rolling hills, the tropical rainforests, and the new rocky lava deserts near the coast, Big Island has a lot to offer. It is a strong reminder of the power of Mother Nature and the effort the native people of Hawaii have put into preserving this space.

One of the most iconic landscapes on the Big Island is the various black sand beaches. On this trip, we went to a black sand beach that did not exist the last time we went (2017). The sand was very fine and seemed to come straight out of a Bollywood movie. I swear if you squint hard enough you could see Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol dancing to Gerua, (hence my Instagram reel that day). Yet, as soon as I posted a reel with the black sand and Gerua playing in the background, I instantly regretted it. For those of you that keep up with my other Instagram, you will notice the recurring Shah Rukh Khan references from my friends, with one even saying that I am a “walmart goodwill landfill srk dupe”, so this Instagram reel only added fuel to the fire. Yet, despite the jokes aside, the beach was breathtaking and an experience I will never forget.

Ultimately, my favorite moment from this trip came on our last day. After we went to the sandy beach we had repeatedly visited on this trip and swam around for an hour—racing each other, splashing water onto each other, and competing to find the most sea creatures—we all began to tread water. As we all floated in the water, a sense of tranquility washed over us as the sky was lit ablaze during golden hour. As the sun began to set on our trip in multiple ways, we could do nothing but appreciate the beauty in front of us and treasure it as a memory for years to come.